Cédric Grolet’s Pain au Chocolat Recipe
The renowned pâtissier shares his secret recipe for the pain au chocolat.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 kg (8 cups) all-purpose flour T45
- 420 g (1 ¾ cups) water
- 50 g (1 large egg or about 2 oz) eggs
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 45 g (1 ½ oz) fresh baker's yeast
- 18 g (1 tablespoon) salt
- 20 g (1 tablespoon) honey
- 70 g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 400 g (14 oz) beurre de tourage* see notes below
- 36 small chocolate batons or sticks
For the egg wash:
- 50 g (3 large) egg yolks
- 30 g (2 tablespoons) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the dough:
- In a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, water, egg, fresh yeast, salt, sugar, and honey. Start the mixer on a medium-slow speed and mix until the ingredients form a smooth, homogeneous dough. Then, increase the speed to medium-high and continue mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add the "beurre pommade"** (see notes) and knead until the dough fully comes together. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise at room temperature (75°F to 77°F) for 1 hour.
- Once the dough has risen, gently press it down to release the air, then roll it out into a large rectangle that’s twice as long as the width of your "beurre de tourage." Place the dough in the freezer for 5 minutes, then transfer it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Next, place the "beurre de tourage" in the center of the dough, and fold the dough over from each side to completely cover the butter.
- With the edge where the butter is visible facing you, use a rolling pin to make a double fold: roll from the bottom to the top until the dough is about 7 mm thick. Mark the middle of the dough, fold the top and bottom edges toward the center, then fold the dough in half again, like closing a wallet. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 10 minutes.
- For the final fold, roll the dough out to a thickness of 1 cm, forming a long rectangle. Fold the top third of the dough down over the middle third, then fold the bottom third up over the top. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 3.5 mm to begin cutting and shaping the croissants.
Make the egg wash:
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and cream together until smooth.
Forming the pains au chocolat:
- Cut the dough into rectangles that are 7 cm wide by 20 cm long. Place each rectangle vertically, with the longer side running from top to bottom. Place a chocolate bar near the edge of the dough, roll it up about 2 cm, place another chocolate bar, roll another 2 cm, and continue rolling until the pain au chocolat is fully formed. Allow the pastries to rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes at 77°F.
Finishing and baking:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the pains au chocolat on it. Lightly brush each one with the egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes, or until they are beautifully golden brown. Once baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Notes
*Beurre de tourage, also known as dry butter or "beurre pâtissier," is a special unsalted butter with a higher butterfat content—84% compared to the 82% found in regular unsalted butter. This dry butter is typically presented in thin sheets and is commonly used by pastry chefs in France when making dough that requires turning or folding with butter to create layers.
**Beurre pommade refers to butter that has been softened to room temperature (between 68°F and 86°F / 20°C and 30°C) until it reaches a creamy, spreadable consistency, similar to the texture of face cream.